News at the U! July 2020

Volume 1 | July 2020

A Message From Our CEO

I hope you and your family are safely enjoying time together this summer. With so much uncertainty surrounding what school will look like this fall and state mandates, the approach to create our school reopening plan has involved the engagement of all members of the U Prep learning community.

Over the past few months, we have deployed surveys, held focus groups, and recently shared our preliminary Schools Reopening Plan in a series of virtual Town Halls providing parents the opportunity for sharing their questions, comments and concerns. We are on track to publish our 2020-21 Schools Reopening Plan, based on the guidelines in the Michigan Safe Start Plan published by the state. We will continue to seek your input, be available to answer any questions, and address your concerns as we prepare for the start of the new school year.

I encourage you to visit the COVID-19 Communications page on our website for current information about the reopening of our schools. You will also find a link to a Reopening Inquiry Form, so you can easily submit your thoughts and questions to our planning team. Thank you for your support of our Crew as we move through this challenging time.

In Community,

Danielle Jackson

CEO, Detroit 90/90 & U Prep Schools

Kindergarten: A Critical Step in a

Child's Educational Journey

Kindergarten is a critical first step of a child's learning development and gives young children a strong foundation for their educational journey. That's why registering your five year old in school this fall is so important.

Click below to read an editorial from Michigan Chronicle's Managing Editor, AJ Williams, to learn more about how early education impacts a student's future success.

Meet Aisha Cunningham

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: Aisha Cunningham is an alumni who came back to work at the U as a high school counselor at her alma mater, University Preparatory Academy High School.

Also a therapist in private practice, Aisha's work is focused on individual therapy for adolescents and women of color, as well as couples therapy. She told us, "U Prep taught me how important it is to network and build relationships. In my field, it is very important to build rapport with the community I serve."

More About Aisha Cunningham

Meet the UPAD and UPSM Crews at Our Upcoming Virtual Open Houses

Are you considering U Prep for your scholar? If so, join us for one of the upcoming Open Houses at University Prep Art & Design Middle School and High School, and University Prep Science & Math Middle School.

Click the link below to learn more and take the next step toward becoming a U Prep family!

See the Virtual Open House Schedule

Recommended Summer Reading

for U Prep Scholars

Summer is the perfect time to help your child create (or maintain) healthy reading habits. Reading as a family is just one way to create more togetherness and encourage reading comprehension and inquiry.

To support our scholars this summer, Kristin Venier, U Prep Senior Director of Curriculum & Instruction, Elementary Literacy, has shared a summer reading list, covering all ages from pre-school to high school. Find it at the link below.

Summer Reading List

Meet the S.W.A.G. Scholarship

Winners from U Prep

We are so proud that two of our graduating students - Taylor from UPA High School and Anthony from UPAD High School - were awarded S.W.A.G. Scholarships by the Michigan Chronicle and TCF Bank. S.W.A.G. stands for Students Wired for Achievement and Greatness. We agree! These two U Prep graduates demonstrate the qualities of integrity and a commitment to community service that the S.W.A.G. award was created to recognize. Congratulations, Taylor and Anthony!

Read About S.W.A.G.

Summer School at U Prep

While everyone loves the long, hot days of summer, students can lose up to 30% of their learning from the school year when they're not attending school. It is one of the reasons we run Virtual Summer Learning Programs at U Prep.

Our summer scholars attend class Monday through Thursday, 11am to 2pm. Over 120 students registered, which is significantly more than our typical number of 30 summer students. We're so proud of our scholars who want to keep learning!

Learn more about how to avoid the "Corona Slide" in an article from LaTasha Goodall, Principal at UPSM Middle School, at the link below.